Ex-Norwich director claims some black players 'would be in jail if not for football'
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A former sporting director of Norwich City has sparked fury by suggesting several black players would be in prison had they not become footballers.
Stuart Webber was speaking to the Pink Un ahead of his attempt to climb Mount Everest for charity next month.
Webber used young footballers as an example, but he has caused upset after suggesting some players would be at risk of going to jail if not for football.
We want to help the guys who really need it, not the ones who are maybe privileged. I saw that with our young footballers.
Jonny Rowe wouldn't mind me saying it but him, Abu Kamara, Max [Aarons], Jamal [Lewis], Raheem [Sterling] back in the day at Liverpool.
Where they come from it had to work out for them in football, because the alternative is potentially jail or something else.
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These comments drew a furious reaction from two of the named players' mothers.
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Anti-racism campaign group Kick It Out later has also issued a statement condemning Webber's "offensive and concerning" comments.
The comments made by former Norwich City sporting director Stuart Webber where he has resorted to racially profiling several players in an interview are deeply offensive and concerning.
To read such callous language being used by someone who until recently was a senior executive at the top of the English game paints a very damning picture.
Resorting to lazy stereotyping is clearly upsetting for those who have been targeted, but also shows a complete lack of respect for their families, who have played a huge part in the journeys that the players have been on.
Webber has since reached out to apologise to the players and their families.
He was Liverpool's director of recruitment from 2009 to 2012 - whilst Sterling was at the Merseyside club - and was sporting director at Norwich between 2017 and 2023.
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Aarons made a £7 million move to Bournemouth last summer, and Lewis is on loan at Watford after leaving Norwich for Newcastle United in 2020.
Rowe has scored 13 goals for Norwich this season, whilst Kamara has made three appearances for the club having come up through the youth ranks.
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